Shadows of the Night
by lil-lilac86
Summary: With Kabuto and Orochimaru dead, everything should go back to normal, right? WRONG! Hinata is in critical condition, Naruto is in absolute turmoil, and Akatsuki are still out there! Full Summary inside, Same pairings apply!
1. Open Wounds

Shadows of the Night

**Shadows of the Night**

A/n: Here is the long-awaited sequel to Love Is A Battlefield!

SUMMARY: With Kabuto and Orochimaru dead, everything should go back to normal, right? WRONG! Hinata is in critical condition, Naruto is in absolute turmoil, and Akatsuki are still out there! What has become of the Konoha shinobi who were sent to dispose of Akatsuki? What has become of Konoha?! Same pairings apply: NaruHina, SasuSaku, NejTen, ShikaIno, & GaaMats (must read Love Is A Battlefield in order to understand the sequel).

Disclaimer: As much as I love manipulating the_ Naruto_ cast, I do not own them!

**Chapter 1: Open Wounds**

Battling against the Oto shinobi had proven to be a challenge. The majority of the shinobi had been experimented on by Kabuto no doubt, and others had learned a number of forbidden jutsus from Orochimaru. These shinobi didn't even look human anymore. They resembled something along the lines of the walking dead…and for all they knew, they could have well been. The small group had agreed to battle in pairs: Asuma and Kurenai, Shino and Kiba/Akamaru, and Ino and Choji. It was decided that it would be best if the original teammates fought together since they'd known each other for years, and they had more experience in predicting group techniques.

At one moment during the battle, Kurenai and Asuma had been separated. A small band of Oto shinobi used a clever sequence of attacks to overpower Kurenai and tear her away from Asuma's side. When Asuma realized what was happening, he spun around to face the two restraining Kurenai, but that was exactly what the other Oto shinobi had been waiting for. With Asuma distracted with Kurenai's plight, the hidden shinobi launched in to attack. Just as Asuma tore one of the shinobi away from Kurenai using brute strength, he felt a stab of pain erupt from his back. He heard Kurenai scream his name as he stumbled to his knees. Before another stab wound could be inflicted on him, Asuma lifted his chakra-infused brass knuckle knives to prevent the enemy's sword from striking him down.

Kurenai knocked the last remaining shinobi away from her and raised her hands to form a few seals, effectively activating a Genjutsu. The surrounding shinobi fell to the ground unconscious as they were trapped in her Genjutsu. Kurenai rushed to Asuma's side in fear. He hadn't moved from his pained position, and it was starting to worry her.

"Asuma…" She had said, her voice laced with worry.

"I'm fine…" Asuma grunted out in an effort to hide his pain from her.

"Don't you _dare_ lie to me, Asuma." Kurenai whispered dangerously.

Asuma managed a gruff smile, but when he lifted his gaze up to meet Kurenai's, he noticed that she'd resumed standing before him with her hands forming several complex seals in succession. His eyes widened in disbelief. There were too many of them! She couldn't…he couldn't let her!

"Kurenai, don't –" but he wasn't able to finish.

Kurenai had set the last seal. Her eyes were shut tight in her concentration. What she had attempted had never been tested in battle before. She was placing every last Oto shinobi under the strongest Genjutsu she could muster…one that could even rival that of Itachi's Tsukuyomi. But it wasn't just ten or twenty shinobi, no; there were enough of them to rival a large army.

Kiba, Akamaru, Shino, Ino, and Choji all stopped in their battles as the Oto shinobi dropped to the ground unconscious. As they searched the field, they took notice that every single enemy on the field had been put under a Genjutsu.

"W-What's going on?" Ino asked in disbelief.

Kiba barked in laughter, "That's Kurenai-sensei for ya!"

But Kiba stopped laughing when he followed Shino's gaze to his sensei. She had collapsed to the ground, breathing harshly, and was being supported by an unsteady Asuma. Needless to say, they all charged over to their respective sensei – Ino and Choji checking out Asuma's large wound, and Kiba and Shino searching Kurenai for any visible wounds.

"Is she okay?!" Ino shrieked.

"What did she do?" Choji folded his arms over his broad chest, tilting his head in confusion.

Asuma sighed, glancing down at his overly exhausted partner, watching as she slipped into a forced slumber. "She used a Genjutsu that I've only seen one other time." He paused to pull out a cigarette from his pocket and placed it between his lips. "This Genjutsu is so powerful that it automatically expends all of the chakra of the user before it takes effect."

"But what if the user doesn't have enough chakra to perform the Genjutsu?" Kiba asked worriedly.

Asuma smirked, despite the situation. "Then…they'll die."

A collective gasp issued from the surrounding Chuunin, with the exception of Shino.

"Will Kurenai-sensei live?" Shino asked softly.

Asuma paused in his movement to light his cigarette. "Hai, she will live. Kurenai is made of tougher stuff than this. She's trained hard enough to build up the chakra that she didn't have before. This was the first time she's tried this Genjutsu out in battle, though."

Asuma grimaced in pain as he lifted Kurenai into his arms. While everyone fussed over her, he allowed himself a moment to stare longingly at her. This woman never ceased to amaze him.

"What exactly did that Genjutsu do, Asuma-sensei?" Ino looked around them doubtfully, studying the still unconscious shinobi. "Usually, it doesn't take this long to break out of a Genjutsu."

Asuma smirked once more, "The Genjutsu that Kurenai has personally developed has the power to rival even that of Itachi's Tsukuyomi."

Again, a collective gasp from everyone, excluding Shino.

"Are you shit'n me?!" Kiba exclaimed.

Shino raised an eyebrow at Kiba's language, but he was just as eager to learn of his sensei's secrets.

Asuma began walking away, careful of the woman tucked away in his arms. The group of Chuunin eyed each other uncertainly, but followed nonetheless.

"Those shinobi will never again wake up." Asuma glanced down at Kurenai. "They have been put into a permanent coma. Only the one who cast the Genjutsu can bring them out of it." Asuma stopped, turning to face his small group. "Our mission is complete. Let's go home."

xxxx

"Let's take a break." The pale-eyed Hyuuga protégé ordered. He left no room for argument, but his rambunctious teammate did not pick up on his tone.

"No, we've gotta keep going!" Naruto pleaded, leaning heavily on his teammate. "There's still daylight left! We've gotta get back to Konoha!" _To Hinata_, Naruto added silently.

Neji sighed, supporting as much of Naruto's weight as humanly possible. After the battle with Orocimaru, Naruto had managed to counter the Kyuubi's transformation, but he'd expended all of his reserved chakra, thus explaining their current situation. Naruto couldn't even support his own weight, but he was insistent on returning to Konoha, and Neji could understand why. He was just as worried as Naruto about what might be waiting for them at home.

"What help do you think you'll be like this, Uzumaki?"

"I just need to be sure she's safe, Neji." Naruto whispered, staring down at his feet.

Neji glanced at him, noticing how pained he seemed, and not just physically. Neji didn't have to ask who Naruto was referring to.

"I'm sure Hinata-sama will be fine. She is much stronger now than back in our genin days."

Naruto smiled at Neji's encouragement, but he couldn't help but feel like something was wrong. Naruto lived most of his life based on his instincts, and he wasn't about to ignore them now.

"Onegai, just a little further?" Naruto pleaded with a nervous, slightly unsure smile.

Neji sighed and shook his head in defeat. If Naruto was going to be this stubborn, then Neji had no choice but to get him back to the village as quickly as humanly possible, if only to ease his own mind.

"You do understand that Hinata-sama is in safe hands, correct?" Neji raised an eyebrow, hooking Naruto's arm over his shoulder to take on more of his weight. "Gaara-sama isn't an easy opponent to defeat."

Naruto chuckled, "Believe me, I'd be the last one to doubt Gaara's abilities," Naruto stared off into the distance in the direction of Konoha, "but still, I just need to see her for my own sake."

Neji simply nodded once, not knowing what more he could say to ease his friend's mind. Checking to make sure he had a good grip on Naruto, Neji leapt into the trees, bounding from branch to branch in hopes of closing the distance.

Neji eyed Naruto once more before posing his question, "Do you think the others are safe, Uzumaki?"

Naruto smiled crookedly, imagining the amazing battles that his friends were probably in right now. It had been four days since they had all separated from the village – one group heading off to face Akatsuki and another, his group, to face Orochimaru.

"Well, I'm sure Kurenai-sensei and Asuma-sensei's group have completed their mission." Naruto laughed out right. "I bet they'll beat us back to Konoha…unless…"

Naruto had a mischievous grin on his face, and if Neji wasn't the stoic man that he was, he'd probably have grimaced in response. "Unless, what?"

"Oh c'mon, Neji, don't tell me you haven't noticed?" Naruto groaned in disappointment.

"Noticed what?" Neji glared down at Naruto. He was getting tired of this little game. What could Naruto know that he, a genius, did not?

If Naruto had any strength left in his body, he would have smacked his forehead at Neji's ignorance. _'And they say I'm a baka.'_

"You mean to tell me you haven't noticed the chemistry goin' on between Kurenai-sensei and Asuma-sensei?" Naruto raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

Neji sighed in annoyance, _'No, I cannot drop him on his head. I promised Tenten that I'd behave myself.'_ Neji glanced once more in Naruto's direction. _'But then again…'_

Neji jumped off of another branch, but his grip on Naruto _accidentally_ went slack, causing Naruto to slip and plummet down onto the forest floor.

"NEEEJJIIIII!!" Naruto bellowed, waving his arms around wildly in a bad imitation of a bird flapping its wings.

Neji smirked, _'…what Tenten doesn't know, won't hurt me…'_

xxxx

Asuma looked up at the darkened sky and grimaced. No chance they were going to make it back to Konoha tonight. He glanced over his shoulder at the Chuunin following behind him. They looked completely exhausted, even Akamaru, who stopped giving Kiba rides several miles back. Asuma then shifted his glance to the woman in his arms. She had been out for a few hours now, not to mention his wound was beginning to irritate him.

Asuma came to an immediate stop, the Chuunin behind him following suit…and he could have sworn he heard Ino squeal in relief. He rolled his eyes, but his crooked smile betrayed any form of annoyance he tried to display.

"Alright, we'll camp here for the night and return to Konoha in the morning." Asuma commanded, "Kiba and Shino, you two locate a river or stream and refill the canteens."

"Hai." Shino and Kiba replied, quickly setting off to complete their task.

Asuma knelt down on one knee, laying Kurenai carefully on the lush grass.

"Ino, you're on firewood duty."

"Hai." Ino smiled all-knowingly, and Asuma had the distinct feeling that she would take her time in returning.

"C'mon Choji-kun!" Ino insisted with a sickeningly sweet smile.

"But Ino-chan, Asuma-sensei hasn't given me any orders yet…" Choji stared at her, perplexed.

Ino glared daggers at Choji, causing him to sweatdrop nervously. "I said…come _on_!"

"Whatever you say!" Choji quickly amended. _'Man, I'll never understand chicks…'_

Asuma shook his head in amusement. It was obvious what Ino was trying to do. It wouldn't be the first time Ino tried to play match-maker between he and Kurenai, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.

"Seriously, what does she think's gonna happen?" Asuma closed his eyes, taking a puff from his cigarette. "Does she think I'd try something when the woman's asleep…?"

"Does that mean you'd try something when _the woman's_ awake?"

Asuma jerked upright from the unexpected voice. He'd almost forgotten that he wasn't alone in the clearing, and a pair of ruby red eyes confirmed that he most definitely wasn't alone.

"How're you feelin'?" Asuma asked smoothly.

Kurenai bit her lip in frustration, _'There he goes changing the subject again…'_

"It's nothing…just a headache." Kurenai turned her head away from him, knowing he'd catch her in a lie if she'd held eye contact any longer.

"Liar." Asuma called her out, _'The woman never was a good liar…'_

Kurenai growled in frustration, sitting up from her prone position. She gripped her head in pain, her vision blacking out for a moment. Once her vision cleared, she felt two strong hands keeping her steady.

"Asuma…?" Kurenai questioned, almost uncertainly.

"It's me." He assured her. He'd seen the way the movement to sit up had strained her, so he wasted little time getting to her side to keep her still until her body adjusted. "Just take it easy."

Kurenai laughed bitterly. "Me?" She looked at him dubiously. "I'm not the one with a sliced back, Asuma."

Asuma sighed, "Not serious."

"I'll be the judge of that." Kurenai retorted. "I need some light."

Asuma gathered some dried out leaves and loose sticks together and lit them on a patch of dirt in the middle of the clearing. He fed the fire with any material available.

"That'll have to do until Ino gets back with the firewood."

Kurenai nodded her approval and motioned for him to sit down in front of her.

His shoulders sunk in defeat, but he obeyed nonetheless.

"Take off your vest and shirt." Kurenai calmly instructed.

Asuma pulled his arms from his vest, hiding his wince from Kurenai's watchful gaze. What could he say? His wound hurt like a sonofabitch, but he wouldn't tell Kurenai that. He quickly lifted his shirt up over his head and settled down in front of her, so she could inspect his wound.

Kurenai saw him wince, but decided against mentioning anything. Asuma was a proud shinobi, and she didn't want to aggravate or demean him. After all, Asuma received this wound while trying to protect her. Once his broad-expansive, bare shoulders came into view, Kurenai's eyes immediately zoned in on the source of his pain.

Asuma stopped himself from jumping as her cool fingertips traced the area around his wound. He couldn't let her know what her touch did to him.

Kurenai's worry for her longtime teammate took precedence over the feeling of what his skin underneath her fingertips did to her. He needed her assistance right now, and she would not make any mistakes. She wouldn't lie, the wound was deep. The wound was caked with dried blood, but she could still spot where fresh blood was spilling out. It seemed that their enemy's sword had cut deep enough to warrant stitches, but shallow enough that he wouldn't bleed to death. That was a relief, but Kurenai needed to patch him up immediately in order to avoid infection.

When Kurenai next spoke, her voice took on a professional tone that Asuma recognized all too well. "I need to clean the wound in order to determine how many stitches you'll need."

"I sent Shino and Kiba for some water, so we'll have to wait until they return." Asuma informed her.

Asuma smirked when he heard Kurenai growl in disapproval, but his smirk disappeared as quickly as it came when he heard a loud ripping noise. Asuma looked over his shoulder to see Kurenai spilling the little amount of water she had left in her canteen onto a torn piece of fabric from her sleeve. He was about to protest when he felt the wet cloth press against his wound. He hissed quietly, but Kurenai's gentle strokes soothed the burning sensation he felt from the wound itself.

"You didn't have to do that." Asuma smiled to himself. "I could've survived a bit longer until the boys returned."

Kurenai stilled her movements and glanced up at the back of his head. After a moment of silence, she continued removing the blotches of dried blood from his wound. "You know I have no patience."

Asuma laughed gruffly, "Don't I know it."

Kurenai whispered silently to herself, "If only you did…"

She didn't think Asuma would hear, but he did. It crushed his heavy heart as he held himself in check, trying his damnedest not to turn around and embrace her.

The next few moments passed in silence. The crackling of the fire was their only source of noise.

"Why did you do it?" Kurenai asked troubled.

"Do what?"

"Don't play with me, Asuma," Kurenai sighed dejectedly, "why did you leave yourself open to an attack?"

Asuma glanced down at his clutched hands. "You were in danger." He whispered lowly.

"I've been in danger all of my life, Asuma." Kurenai stated, standing up to move over to the fire. "This time is no different than others."

Asuma watched her as she dipped a very long, thin senbon needle into the fire in order to sterilize it. She was preparing to stitch up his wound.

Asuma waited until she was positioned behind him once more before speaking, "You shouldn't have to be."

Kurenai stilled her movements. She was just about to pierce his skin with the senbon needle and the thread she'd managed to find in her weapons pouch.

"Asuma, you know why I've chosen this path in my life." Kurenai sighed; they'd had this conversation several times in the past.

"Don't fool yourself, Kurenai." Asuma's teeth clenched in both pain as she slowly began the stitching and in self-restrained anger. "This lifestyle chose you, not the other way around."

Kurenai's eyes saddened in remembrance. "That was years ago, Asuma." She returned her focus to the task at hand. "Time heals all wounds."

Asuma closed his eyes, trying to calm his anger, "Not all wounds are superficial."

Kurenai chose not to respond. As delicately as possible, she looped the thread intricately into a tight knot before removing the senbon needle. Once she finished, she lightly dabbed the remaining drops of blood from the now closed wound in order to inspect it critically. She noticed a slight red tinge to the wound and recognized the irritation it would cause Asuma. She searched through her weapon's pouch and withdrew a small jar of Hinata's healing cream. _'You were right, Hinata. This did come in handy.'_

She quickly applied the cream to Asuma's reddening skin, hoping to avoid infection. Once she finished, she took out the standard medicine tape to cover the wound and prevent dirt from entering.

Kurenai let her fingers trail the length of his wound before declaring it finished.

"That should do it." Kurenai moved to stand, but Asuma's iron-like grip on her wrist held her in place. He did not apply pressure, but it was obvious that he wouldn't be letting her go any time soon. "Asuma?"

His eyes were averted to the ground. Kurenai could not read his expression, and that made her slightly nervous because she'd always been able to tell what Asuma was feeling.

"Asuma?" She tried again.

When he glanced up at Kurenai, he offered a tender smile…something he didn't often do. "Arigato, Kurenai." As he spoke, he allowed himself the pleasure of brushing his thumb over her knuckles before slowly releasing her hand.

Kurenai didn't have time to process what had just happened before a rustling in the bushes caught her attention. She sighed in irritation and exhaustion. Children will be children…

"Kiba, Akamaru…" Kurenai called out, "It isn't polite to spy."

"Yeah, Ino, Choji, I thought you were taught better than that." Asuma stated, slipping his shirt and Jonin vest back on.

The guilty parties came out, laughing nervously, but Kurenai broke the tension. "Where's Shino?"

Kiba jumped to answer, "He said something about a rare breed of insect…he wanted to study it, dissect it…shit, I dunno…"

Kurenai simply nodded as if this was typical Shino behavior, but Asuma had a hunch that the kid was a tad bit obsessive over his bugs.

The three Chuunin and Akamaru gathered around the camp fire to settle down for the night, all the while expressing extreme caution around the topic of their Jonin team leaders. Something had happened while they were gone, and none of them were sure if it was to help or hurt the couple's relationship.

xxxx

At daybreak, Neji and Naruto were just reaching the gates to Konoha. They had been traveling all night, as per Naruto's request. True, they've been trained to go without sleep for three days straight, but at least then they had full use of their chakra. Even though it only took them one full night to arrive home, Neji and Naruto had to continue taking breaks along the way. Naruto wasn't used to not having access to his chakra, and Neji wasn't used to supporting Naruto because…well…he's Naruto!

"It's good to be home." Naruto smiled happily upon seeing the gates.

"Now will you stop worrying?" Neji questioned tiredly. Throughout the entire trip Naruto wouldn't cease worrying that something terrible had happened in Konoha. "As you can see, Konoha has not been burned to the ground."

Naruto looked around the familiar village, but he noticed something a little off. "Oi, Neji…"

Neji raised his eyebrow in silent inquiry.

"Where did everybody go?"

It was such an innocent question, but it caused Neji to immediately activate his Byakugan. He searched the village, but he couldn't find a living soul. It was as if the entire village had been evacuated. As his eyes roamed from one area to another, Neji became more edgy. He accelerated his pace and searched with gusto. When his eyes locked on the Hyuuga Compound, Neji visibly paled.

Naruto had been staring off into the distance to see if he could spot a familiar face, but when he couldn't he turned back to Neji to ask what they should do next. But, the look on Neji's face scared even him.

Neji had turned sheet white, his body visibly shaking. He took a few forced steps forward, and stopped as if he could no longer move. His pale eyes shook in absolute horror, and Naruto feared what his kekei genkai found. "N-Nani? D-Did you find something?"

The sound of Naruto's voice was like a trigger that woke Neji from his stupor. Neji shot off in the direction of the Hyuuga Compound without offering Naruto even a brief explanation. For once he prayed that his gifted eyes had deceived him.

--

**Hello all!**

**I know it's been almost two months since the end of Love Is A Battlefield, but as my graduation gift to all of you, I've decided that you've all patiently waited long enough! Here is the first chapter of the long-awaited sequel – Shadows of the Night!! I felt horrible making all of you wait so long, that I just had to post the first chapter before I graduate…who knows when I'll next have Internet access?**

**I graduate May 18****th**** and then I will not have Internet, but I will continue to write so that when I do update it'll be well worth the wait! Thank you for all of your best wishes! It really kept me going throughout this rough semester :D**

**I hope that this update was more than you expected! I hope you all enjoyed the Asuma x Kurenai portion of the chapter…which is like the entire chapter…but at least you know what's been going on with that group! I know, I'm awful…first I leave you with a cliffhanger, and Hinata isn't even in this chapter…gosh, my bad? Naw, it's all going according to plan, so sit tight! The next chapter is in the works!!**

**lub,**

**lil-lilac86**


	2. Unprepared

**Shadows of the Night**

A/n: A few of my reviewers asked some very good questions that I thought I should clear up:

**Why** **didn't Ino just heal Asuma since she is a medic nin? **

If you all recall, in the first installment (Love Is A Battlefield) Sakura and Hinata left Konoha to train for 2 years, but Sakura agreed to return to Konoha for one week every month to train with Tsunade. In this fic, Sakura never trained Ino as a medic nin b/c she simply did not have the time to do so.

**You do know that Asuma and Kurenai are married in the manga, right?**

Some of you might remember that I stated in the previous fic that I do not read the manga, so I'm not up to date on all the details of some characters – like Asuma and Kurenai. No, I did not know that this couple was married in the manga. Their relationship is so aloof and private in the anime that I wanted to show in this fic how I thought Asuma and Kurenai got together…so, they are not a couple, yet.

***Just so we're all on the same page, this fic will NOT follow the manga or anime to the T. I will do my best to keep the characters in character, but do not expect an exact replica of the anime or manga. If some facts do not add up, don't panic! I almost always have a reason for doing the things I do, so roll with it ;P

Thanks for listening to my rant, now on with the fic!!!

Disclaimer: As much as I love manipulating the_ Naruto_ cast, I do not own them!

**Chapter 2: Unprepared**

Matsuri bowed her head in sadness and despair, clenching her petite hands into painful fists, her nails drawing blood. Tears slid down her cheeks in silent mourning. She couldn't stop the irreversible what-if questions from filling her thoughts, constantly asking herself what she could have done differently to prevent this from happening.

Matsuri squeezed her eyes closed tightly, her tears encumbering her lashes. She should have been there! Shizune was fully capable of handling herself and the villagers; why couldn't she see that Hinata was torn when asked to approach her father for further assistance! Hinata wouldn't be in this state if she would have been there for her!

Soft footfalls sounded from behind her, but she paid them no heed as she let her sorrows rack through her body. Kami, the girl looked _dead_.

Matsuri didn't startle when she felt a firm grip on her shoulder, she knew that he wouldn't leave her alone for long. Gaara had been checking in on her constantly since returning from fetching Shizune and the band of villagers, but Matsuri hadn't moved from her position by Hinata's bedside since they had retrieved her. It was the very least she could do in Naruto's absence. But what would they tell Naruto once he returned? Both she and Gaara had failed to do anything of consequence, but at the very least they had prevented Hinata's death.

As she kneeled next to her dear friend's bedside, feeling the support from her beloved at her back, she couldn't help but recall the horrid events leading up to this moment.

_She and Gaara had hastily rushed to the Hyuuga premises in hopes that they could somehow make a difference. Along the way, Gaara had explained how Orochimaru had let slip that Kabuto still resided within the walls of Konohagakure, and had been for some time._

"_So Orochimaru allowed Kabuto to remain here for the sole reason of experimentation?" Matsuri asked astonished._

"_Aa." Gaara confirmed._

"_But what sense does it make to reveal this information to us?" Matsuri persisted. "He as good as gave us the location of his life line without thought or question. It's like he wanted us to figure it out."_

_Gaara glanced at her for the briefest of moments before returning his attention to the path before him. "Do not concern yourself with the desire to understand his reasoning, Matsuri." Gaara pushed off the ground roughly, approaching the Hyuuga estate quickly._

_Matsuri stifled yet another question burning on her lips, knowing that Hinata's safety was more important._

_When they reached the great Hyuuga doors, Gaara leapt above them only to land composed on the other side, Matsuri quickly following his example._

"_Why did you stop, Gaara-kun?" Matsuri inquired from behind him._

_Gaara's back stiffened, "Matsuri, leave this place." It was not a request._

_Matsuri was about to refuse his order when an odd scene captivated her attention. "How strange," Matsuri stepped past Gaara, completely ignoring his warning. Matsuri cautiously stepped forward a few paces, bending down on her knees as she lifted a baby girl from the dusty ground into her arms. "What kind of mother from the Hyuuga clan abandons her child? I thought this was supposed to be one of the most prestigious and well-respected clans of all Konoha, so how can someone just –"_

"_The infant is dead, Matsuri." Gaara's chilling voice ended her tirade._

_Shock turned to horror as Matsuri gazed onto the much too innocent face of the deceased baby. If it wasn't for the infant's discoloration from death, she would have seemingly appeared to be slumbering._

_Slowly, Matsuri lifted her eyes from the infant to look into the distance, and what she saw gripped violently at her heart. Ahead, the streets were lined with bodies of the Hyuuga clan, but their final expressions showed their last emotions ranging from pain to shock to unspoken horror._

_Stunned, Matsuri covered her mouth, the tips of her fingers unknowingly twitching. "Y-You don't suppose Hinata-chan…" She couldn't finish her thought._

"_We will not suppose anything until we have found her body." Gaara stated calmly, like the scene before him was completely normal._

_Matsuri's eyes saddened, 'Gaara-kun has seen too much death for this to have the slightest effect on him_._'_

_Together, the couple searched the large compound for the Hyuuga heiress, careful not to disturb the dead. As they made their way toward the main house, the sounds of battle became more audible. Rounding a corner, Matsuri came to a screeching halt. Before her, merely a few yards away, lay Kabuto with eyes just as unseeing as that of the Hyuuga's, but there was more. Hinata had fallen to her knees, clutching her bloody abdomen in pain._

_Matsuri's eyes shook with absolute shock at the scene. She couldn't seem to form any words, and it seemed she didn't have to._

"_Hinata!" Gaara's voice thundered in the still silence._

_It seemed as though the Hyuuga heiress heard nothing. Matsuri, finally able to regain her voice, called out to the deathly injured girl, "Hinata!"_

_Both Gaara and Matsuri rushed to her, but before they were able to reach her, Hinata had lifted two fingers and plunged them toward her chest, more specifically, her heart._

"_NOOO!" Matsuri cried, hoping against all hopes that the girl had not ended her life._

_Hinata crumbled to the dirt-trodden ground in a heap. Matsuri dropped to her knees next to Hinata with Gaara hovering above her. She nervously inspected Hinata, not at all sure what she should do because she was no medic nin. Sure, she knew first aid, but Hinata looked like she needed more than just first aid._

"_Hinata!" Matsuri panicked. "Hinata! Can you hear me?! Say something! ANYTHING!"_

_Almost as if it were a whisper in the wind, Hinata mouthed a few words before succumbing to the darkness. _

_Gaara was able to read the words that had fallen from her seemingly dying lips. His fist clenched as he watched his fiancée try to shake the girl awake in her arms._

"_Please, Hinata!" Matsuri begged. "You just have to be alright!"_

_Gaara reached out and touched Matsuri's shoulder, jolting her out of her pleas._

"_I'm going to retrieve Shizune." Gaara informed. "Watch over her until I return."_

_Matsuri numbly nodded and watched as he sprinted away. All she could do now was wait and pray._

Matsuri knew she should be glad that Hinata was at the very least breathing, but she wished that Hinata didn't have to be in this situation. Luckily, Shizune had arrived fairly quickly on the scene, and had gone to work immediately.

Matsuri remembered Shizune sighing in relief and saying something like "That a girl, keep fighting." Something about the situation pleased Shizune very much, but Matsuri was in too much shock to mention anything at the time.

Well, now she wanted answers. Shizune had just come in again to check on Hinata's status, and Matsuri was burning to know.

"Shizune-san?" Matsuri inquired.

Shizune turned her head slightly to acknowledge her, so Matsuri continued.

"Earlier, you seemed relieved when you found Hinata-chan in that state…" she trailed off.

"Hai." Shizune replied, not sure where she was going with this.

"Why?" Matsuri asked tiredly, her eyes barely staying open.

Shizune smiled gently at the exhausted girl, but knew she deserved an answer.

"Because Hinata-chan didn't give up hope." Shizune continued, "You said that you remember seeing Hinata strike at her heart using her jyuuken?"

With Matsuri's nod, Shizune went on. "Well, I can understand if you thought Hinata was taking her own life, because that was very plausible, but she was actually preserving it."

At Gaara's and Matsuri's confused expressions, Shizune knew she had to elaborate.

"Hinata knew that her injury would bleed out, killing her in minutes, but she made the decision to prolong her death by a few hours." Shizune explained. "You see, this decision was a painful one, because the torture of a slow death means to prolong the suffering, and yet Hinata still hung on to the hope that someone would find her before her last few hours were up."

At Matsuri's stunned expression and Gaara's seemingly impassive one, Shizune made one last remark. "That is why I said what I said about Hinata-chan."

Shizune smiled softly before returning to her task, but Gaara broke the silence after a short pause.

"What of the younger Hyuuga girl?"

Shizune fumbled for a moment, caught off guard by the question. "You are referring to Hanabi?"

With Gaara's firm nod, Shizune sighed. "Hanabi Hyuuga will never speak again," Shizune tried to stop her voice from cracking, but it was unavoidable, "Kabuto completely thrashed her vocal chords, and there is no manner to repair them."

No one spoke again after this revelation. All Matsuri and Gaara could do was watch on as she treated the unknowing Hinata. What a horrible reality Hinata would have to return to, that is, if she was given the chance.

xxxx

"Neji!" Naruto yelled ahead, but the Hyuuga paid him no heed. After he bolted from the gates, Naruto had been trying to get his attention. Something had happened, and Neji wouldn't stop until he came upon the source of his distress.

"Neji, matte!" Naruto tried once more, finally catching up to the Hyuuga protégé. "What did you see?" Naruto tugged on Neji's arm and spun him around.

Naruto saw the shock and horror and possibly even fear in the usually stoic Hyuuga's eyes, and it unnerved him. Naruto spoke more softly, "What did you see?"

Neji tried to compose himself as he prepared to tell Naruto what he knew, but he knew that this would be a struggle to get through.

"I have found the villagers…" Neji began, "they're all grouped together in the Hyuuga Compound…" Neji trailed off.

Naruto allowed a small smile of relief to show on his features, "Well, that's great. At least we know where everyone is and –" Naruto was cut off by the suddenly calmed look Neji was sending him.

"The Hyuuga Clan is dead."

Naruto froze. This wasn't what he'd expected to hear, least of all from Neji. "Dead?"

Neji closed his eyes, not wanting to face the reality of the situation, but knowing that he had to persevere and stay strong.

"Hai." Neji confirmed. "The villagers are transporting and burying the bodies as we speak."

Naruto was in complete shock. He wasn't aware of his lips moving, or his mouth forming words that he could not hear, "H-Hinata?"

Naruto started walking stiffly toward the Hyuuga estate, one slow and shaky step at a time. Then, his feet started to jog clumsily, almost of their own volition. Finally, he broke into an all out run, not really comprehending that he was moving at all.

"Hinata!" Naruto screamed desperately, hoping beyond all hope that she was spared. "HINATA!"

The next thing he remembered was standing within the Hyuuga Compound with torn and bloody knuckles as the large wooden door behind him exploded into shards of splinters. He hadn't even registered the many pairs of eyes watching him wearily, nor the beating of footsteps coming up from behind him. He didn't notice the villagers carefully loading the deceased into wagons as they were taken to the cemetery. He didn't even register the strong hand that gripped his arm and dragged him away from all of the prying eyes.

All he knew was that he had to find Hinata; he could not rest until he was able to look down on her lovely face and know that everything would be alright.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Ok, so it's been what? Almost a year? Well, I know it might not mean much to a lot of you, but for what it's worth, I am sorry. I know I owe a lot of you guys an explanation, but like I said in my profile…it's personal. I can, however, give you the clip notes version. I met this guy, and things seemed to be going oh so good, until I discovered that:**

**1. He was still married**

**2. He was using me**

**3. He had a kid with a woman that was not his wife**

**4. He was more into my sister**

**And the list goes on and on…but at least it gives you guys an idea of what I've been through. I'm still kicking myself over how stupid I was not to see it. I wasted a lot of time, emotions, and money on the dirt bag…grrr!!**

**Sorry again for the too-late-to-be-called-late update! I'm hoping to be able to continue this story in a more timely manner.**

**lub,**

**lil-lilac86**


	3. A Mournful Reunion

**Shadows of the Night**

Disclaimer: As much as I love manipulating the_ Naruto_ cast, I do not own them!

**Chapter 3: A Mournful Reunion**

He hadn't struggled when Gaara pulled him away from the pitying looks from the surviving villagers. He couldn't breathe when Gaara led him to the main Hyuuga residence. He'd quickly forced his eyes closed, refusing to believe what his gut was telling him. He'd hoped beyond all hope that his gut was wrong, he _prayed_ that it was wrong. However, the almost inaudible gasp from behind him and the sound of hurried foot steps ultimately confirmed his growing fear.

"Hinata-sama…" Neji whispered in disbelief as he knelt beside the still girl.

Neji took one of her hands in his and squeezed, trying to assure himself that it was indeed the Hyuuga heiress.

Naruto could only stare blankly at the scene, as if it were in slow motion. That couldn't possibly be Hinata, could it? No. The Hinata he knew was compassionate, caring, breathtakingly beautiful with pale ivory skin, but not deathly pale! What had happened while they were away?

As if sensing the growing tension, Gaara began telling of Kabuto's presence in Konoha, and how he was proclaimed dead upon his and Matsuri's arrival to aid Hinata. Gaara explained Hinata's situation prior to retrieving Shizune and the surviving villagers, and then Shizune's prognosis on Hinata's final attempt on surviving in hopes that she would be found in time.

Naruto couldn't speak as Gaara cautiously explained what had happened during their absence. Many thoughts collided within Naruto's mind as he gazed down at his only love.

How could this have happened? How could no one, not even the Hokage, have known that a traitor lingered in their midst? It wasn't supposed to be this way! Hinata was supposed to be here waiting for him, but not like this! She was supposed to greet him at the gates with a welcoming smile and tell him how much she loved him and missed him and make a fuss over _his_ injuries. But everything had gone so terribly, terribly wrong.

Crystal blue eyes never left her face as Naruto slowly moved toward her. Each step forward felt like he was lifting lead along with his feet in order to reach her. The process was slow and somewhat clumsy, but Naruto was not conscious of his stumbles. The only thing he could feel was the painful beating in his heart as reality started setting in. This _was_ Hinata, and she was fighting at Death's door if only to return to him. She was fighting a battle that he could not save her from.

Neji quickly stood up and excused himself, no longer able to look upon her face. Shizune sadly led him away, if only at the very least to inform him of Hanabi's survival as well as her hindrance.

Gaara placed his arms around Matsuri's shoulders, silently prodding her to move in order to give Naruto and Hinata some privacy. She nodded in understanding, but tears still formed in her eyes at this painful reunion between two lovers.

As the door slid shut, silence engulfed the room where Naruto and Hinata were finally reunited. Naruto ever-so-slowly sank to his hands and knees before Hinata's prone form. Cautiously, he placed his ear over her heart and listened. The slow pulsations assured him that she was still with him, and he sighed in relief that she had not left him. A silent tear streamed down his cheek as he looked down at her. Not knowing how things would turn out for them was almost as frightening as not knowing if she would return to him. Naruto did not like this feeling of doubt that was growing inside him. He'd always been sure that things would turn out right in the end, but now his whole reason for living was on the line, and he wasn't quite sure if things would work out the way they were supposed to.

"I came back to you, Hinata-chan, just like I promised." Naruto whispered breathily into her ear. "Now it's your turn," he choked on his words, "come back to me."

Naruto kissed her closed eyelids and entwined their fingers as he rested beside her. All he could do now was wait, and he would wait forever for her.

xxxx

Neji listened intently as Shizune explained Hanabi's situation. From what she told him, Hanabi suffered from a jyuuken strike to her vocal chords, and that attack was not meant to suppress her chakra. But if he could somehow fix it, then Hanabi would be able to regain her voice.

"It would be too dangerous to try to release the pressure because the strike was sloppy and it damaged her vocal chords to the point of irreparability." Shizune cautioned, knowing Neji would want to try and reverse it with his jyuuken.

"Are you certain of what you have disclosed to me?" Neji inquired, slowly regaining the calm he once had. He was trying to put this tragedy out of his mind for now and focus on the things he needed to do to help the village, and also what remained of his kin.

"I am," Shizune replied gravely, "but I will be sure to have Tsunade-sama or Sakura-chan double check to make sure when they return…" she trailed off, not wanting to doubt that they would return.

Neji nodded and folded his arms, assuming his thinking position. Shizune was currently leading him to Hanabi's location, and hopefully some answers. When they arrived at her door, Shizune issued a warning.

"Remember, she has experienced the death of your clan. She was there when it all happened. Be cautious of what you say to her because the images are still fresh in her mind." Almost as an afterthought, Shizune mumbled, "She may be able to tell us how this all happened."

Neji gave her a cold look, "It would be far easier if she could _tell_ us anything, Shizune-san, but from what you've briefed me on, that would be unlikely."

Shizune blushed at her mistake and began stuttering her apologies, but Neji would not hear of it.

"Let my cousin and I be for the moment, Shizune-san. If I should come across any useful information, I will be sure to inform you immediately." Neji finished before opening the door, walking inside, and shutting Shizune out.

Neji did not mean to be rude, but under the circumstances he thought he was allowed to be a little upfront. Even the simplest comment about his clan could set him off now, and that's something he wouldn't take lightly. Her fumble in words might have been an accident, but the pain of losing his clan was still fresh in his mind, not to mention Hanabi's handicap.

When he first stepped into the room, he noticed Hanabi right away. She was in a sitting position up against the wall with her legs curled up and her head resting on her knees face down. Her small arms were wrapped around her knees as her tiny frame shook in silent grief. Although she was obviously in tears, no sound of her sorrow could be heard. A small amount of sunlight streamed in from the open window and draped around Hanabi like a comforting blanket.

Neji hoped to be strong for the both of them as he made his way over to one of the last remaining kin he had. He lifted his hand and rested it on Hanabi's quivering shoulder.

Once she felt the pressure on her shoulder, Hanabi stilled. Slowly, she lifted her head from her knees and looked up, searching for the one who touched her. When her pearl-like eyes met another similar set of eyes, she immediately launched herself at the person.

Neji welcomed Hanabi into his arms, glad that she still lived. He tried to give her the comfort that they both needed, but found it to be difficult. He hadn't had the time to properly mourn his fallen clan, and therefore hadn't had the time to grieve. For all intents and purposes, Neji had to be strong and get Hanabi through this tragedy, and then he could focus on himself.

"Hanabi-sama…" Neji whispered, "I am sorry I wasn't here for you, Hinata-sama, and our clan."

Hanabi lifted her swollen, tearful gaze up to him, shaking her head no. She had to make him see that this catastrophe was not his doing. She hugged him tightly, still shaking her head no.

Neji wrapped his arms around her tighter, understanding her meaning. "Arigato, Hanabi-sama, but what I'm about to ask of you will be difficult."

Hanabi stilled, looking up at his face, noticing his tight lips and hardened and determined eyes. She nodded her head in understanding, having an idea of what it was he desired to know. Before he could ask it of her, she reached up to her throat and shook her head no.

"I know you cannot speak," Neji empathized, "but will you write out your answers to my questions?"

Hanabi thought for a moment before nodding in agreement. She stepped over to her bedside table and opened the drawer, withdrawing ink and parchment. She returned to Neji's side and made a motion for them to sit. Neji obliged as they prepared themselves for the wounds they would undoubtedly reopen and for the wounds that haven't had a chance to heal.

Neji opened the discussion with his first question. "Who was behind the slaughter of our clan?"

Hanabi's hand trembled as she spelled his name:

_Father_

Neji pondered Hanabi's answer as well as Orochimaru's words during their battle.

"What is the last thing you remember from the battle?"

Hanabi took a deep breath before scrawling:

_I remember leaving my quarters, making my way toward the courtyard. Then, Father walked toward me, and in response I bowed to him. Before I rose, Father made a jyuuken strike at my throat, and I was unable to make a sound after that._

Hanabi stopped writing in order to gather her thoughts. Neji waited patiently for her to continue.

_I lifted my hands to my throat in disbelief. Father had attacked me and I couldn't understand why. We weren't in a sparring match, and for a moment I thought he was trying to teach me a lesson of never letting your guard down…but then he used a pressure point on my neck to knock me out._

Neji nodded, following along intently as she wrote. "What do you remember awakening to?"

Hanabi closed her eyes for a moment before writing down her response.

_I remember feeling groggy, lying on the wooden floor on the veranda. I tried to move, but then I felt the restraints. My arms were bound behind my back. I looked around trying to figure out what was going on, and that's when I saw __him__. Father was attacking our clan ruthlessly with our Jyuuken style, and he was going for the kill every time. It didn't matter if it was man, woman, or child. They all met the same fate._

It was at this point that tears began falling from Hanabi's eyes onto the piece of parchment that she was telling her story from. Now the ink was smearing from the blotches of tears that mixed with it, but Neji said nothing, silently waiting for Hanabi to continue.

_That's when neechan came. She was in complete and total shock at what she was seeing. Then Father started laughing darkly. He didn't even sound like himself anymore…Hinata-neechan questioned him, wanting to know why he'd done it, but Father insisted that it was for his own enjoyment. That's when neechan asked about me. She wanted to know what he'd done to me. He grabbed me roughly by my upper arm, as he proudly explained what he'd done to me. Tears were falling down my cheeks as I looked at neechan. I knew she wanted to save me, but in that moment I didn't want to be saved. I didn't want to continue living, knowing what I knew about Father. That's when he pushed me down. I hit my head hard and fell unconscious._

Neji was quiet for a long time, until he formed his final question, "Did you witness any of the battle?"

Hanabi shamefully shook her head no.

Neji placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder as he prepared for what he had to say. He briefly wondered if it would be easier for Hanabi to go on hating her father for what she thought he'd done, rather than discovering that her father had been murdered long before the clan genocide. Either way, Hanabi wouldn't be able to recover emotionally for quite some time.

Neji cleared his throat, gaining Hanabi's attention. "When Uzumaki-san, Gara-sama, and I were about to battle Orochimaru, he revealed something to us. Something none of us could ever have expected."

The confusion in Hanabi's eyes told Neji that she was curious and apprehensive. Was it truly appropriate to tell a twelve year old girl about how her father had died? No, the girl had the right to know. After all, he'd gone almost his entire life never knowing the circumstances to _why_ his own father had to die. Hanabi needed this for closure, if for nothing else.

"Hanabi-sama, there is something you need to know about your father." Neji began, choosing his words carefully, "Hiashi-sama was murdered this past year."

Hanabi sat with her mouth hanging open in disbelief. Quickly, she jotted down a question:

_How is that possible? He was alive up until a few days ago._

Neji nodded his understanding, but Hanabi needed to hear more, much more.

"The traitorous snake-sannin, Orochimaru, had an underling who followed his every command. This shinobi was very skilled in medical ninjutsu, and he thoroughly enjoyed his experimentations." Neji paused. "This shinobi was known as Kabuto, and he was the one who murdered your father."

Hanabi was scribbling erratically, hurrying to show Neji her question.

_How was Father still alive?!_

Neji closed his eyes after reading her question. "Kabuto is abhorred for his ability in controlling the movements and actions of the dead. He was puppeting Uncle Hiashi for almost a year."

Hanabi was overcome by renewed tears as she wrote one simple word.

_Why?_

Neji could only guess as to why Kabuto would commit such a heinous act. "Considering how the Hiashi imposter treated Hinata-sama so horridly upon her return from her two year training period, I can only assume she was Kabuto's true target."

Hanabi nodded in understanding, and Neji continued, "Also, Orochimaru did mention that Kabuto had a 'deep interest' in Hinata-sama. Now the only question remaining is why?"

Neither Hanabi nor Neji could fathom what Kabuto wanted with Hinata. There were too many factors to consider. "If he wanted the Byakugan, he could have chosen any member of the Hyuuga clan, unless…" Neji trailed off at a sudden thought.

Hanabi tugged insistently on his sleeve to get him to finish saying what he was going to say. She scrawled a quick question down on the parchment.

_Unless?_

Neji lifted a thumb to his chin, thinking logically about the situation. "Unless there was more to Hinata-sama than any of us could fathom."

The two cousins sat there for a long while in silence, uncertain of what Kabuto had done to Hinata in her battle. All they could do now was wait until Hinata woke up before they could get their much needed answers.

xxxx

Since returning to an empty Konoha was such a shock to Naruto and Neji, Shizune had decided it would be best to have two shinobi stationed at the main gate, in case other Konoha shinobi returned or enemy shinobi were lurking about.

Much to the displeasure of the special jonin Mitarashi Anko, she was stuck with that job along with that easy-going, senbon-sucking Shiranui Genma. Of all the shinobi she could have been paired with…

Genma glanced her way, "You know, you don't have to give me the Anko Death Glare."

This only served to make Anko glare harder. Genma sighed. He knew that he'd never understand women, he accepted that, but Anko was a mystery all her own.

"So, what's bugging you?" Just for good measure, Genma added, "You on your menstrual cycle, or something?"

Anko had already been gritting her teeth and clenching her fists, but with the addition of his inconsiderate comment…she could not be held responsible for any or all actions she might take against Genma.

Needless to say, Genma was now sporting a busted lip, bruised eye, and slight concussion.

"Is there anything else you'd like to say, Genma?" Anko asked with forced sweetness.

Genma instantly took on a serious expression, causing Anko to react. "What is it?"

"We have company." Genma stated simply. "They're too far out to identify just yet."

Anko peered out into the distance from her perch above. "Could be returning shinobi from Hokage-sama's group," she suggested.

"Yeah," Genma agreed, "or it could be Asuma and Kurenai's group returning from Otogakure."

Anko glared at Genma again. Did he always have to refute everything she suggested? One of these days, she was going to…

"Yo! Asuma, Kurenai!" Genma hollered.

Anko stared at him in disbelief. _'And he's supposed to be a shinobi? I know brats that are stealthier than that!'_

As Team 8 and Team 10 approached, they noticed something off about the village. The first being that Anko and Genma were within five feet of each other, when everyone knew the two didn't exactly click. The second was how quiet the village was, especially during this time of day.

Kurenai didn't hesitate in finding out. "What's happened?"

Ino, Choji, Kiba, and Shino listened intently. Something had occurred during their absence, that much was plain.

Anko rubbed her neck uneasily. "Yeah, about that…well, good news or bad news first?"

Kurenai narrowed her blood red eyes, but it was Asuma who answered first. "I think we could use a little good news."

Genma and Anko shared a look before Genma announced, "Good news is Kabuto and Orochimaru are dead…"

The chuunin present smiled broadly.

"Yeah! I knew Naruto, Neji, and Gaara could do it!" Kiba cheered, thrusting his arm in the air. But when he noticed that the jonin and special jonin weren't celebrating with him, he piped down.

Kurenai asked blankly, "And the bad news…?"

Again, the two special jonin shared a look, this time Anko dished out the information. "The bad news is…" she hesitated for a moment, "another massacre has taken place."

Kurenai swallowed a lump in her throat, "Who was it?"

Anko and Genma responded together professionally, "The Hyuuga Clan."

Kurenai, Kiba, and Shino were completely still after been given the news, but Shino was still able to think rationally.

"Any survivors?" Shino sounded so calm on the outside, but inside he feared he might have lost a comrade.

"There were three survivors: Neji, Hanabi, and Hinata." Genma answered dutifully.

Before anyone could respond, Anko spoke up, "You should be brought up-to-date on their current status' before approaching any of them," Anko warned.

Genma took over, "Hyuuga Neji – recently returned from an S ranked mission approximately four hours ago. Mission successful. Only male Hyuuga survivor."

Anko continued, blending into the report fluently, "Hyuuga Hanabi – the youngest daughter of Hyuuga Hiashi. Suffered a jyuuken strike to her vocal chords, permanently mute."

They both paused awkwardly after reporting two of the three Hyuugas, but neither was exactly sure how to approach Hinata's status.

Kiba was starting to get impatient and worried when they did not continue with Hinata. "Oi, what's the hold up?! What about my teammate?!"

"Hai," Anko began, "Hyuuga Hinata – the oldest daughter of Hyuuga Hiashi, heiress to the Hyuuga clan. Suffered from blood loss due to an abdominal laceration. Currently unconscious, and has been for approximately five days – possibility, comatose."

After receiving such heart-wrenching news, Kurenai managed to croak out a weak question, "Where?"

"All of the villagers, shinobi-on-duty, and Hyuuga survivors are currently at the Hyuuga compound." Genma explained, "They have all been working feverishly to give the deceased Hyuuga clan their proper respects."

Before the members of Team 8 and Team 10 could move in the direction of the Hyuuga compound, Anko had one last piece of information.

"That Uzumaki gaki is there as well. Give him some time alone with his girlfriend before you barge in."

They all acknowledged Anko's warning. The information was more of a warning in the sense that Naruto wouldn't want company right now, and therefore might act violently to any intrusions, taking their presence as a threat to both Hinata and himself.

Once everything was set in order, Team 8 and Team 10 headed toward the Hyuuga compound morosely to report in.

xxxx

As far as he knew, even if someone was in a coma they could still hear your voice, and that the sound of your voice would act like an anchor to bring that person back from the darkness. Naruto wasn't sure if this was true or not, but he was certainly willing to give it a try.

"Even though you're sleeping, I hope you can hear me, Hinata-chan." Naruto started quietly with no response from the Hyuuga heiress. "I'm proud of you, Hinata-chan. You were the one that beat Kabuto, weren't you?" Naruto smiled down at her. "It was thanks to you that we were able to defeat Orochimaru."

Naruto's smile slipped as he remembered the manner in which Orochimaru was defeated. He had let kyuubi take over him almost completely, four tails. All thoughts were irrational, all kyuubi wanted was blood, and Naruto had no problem allowing him to take his bloodlust out on the snake Sannin. If it wasn't for Hinata, Naruto might not have been able to regain control of his body, thus allowing kyuubi to run at large once more.

"Arigato, Hinata-chan," Naruto smiled sadly, "even miles away, you're still able to save me, but…" Naruto choked on his words, only managing to whisper the last part, "but I was still unable to save you."

Naruto gazed down into Hinata's porcelain face, "I only wish you would open your eyes. I only feel at home in your eyes, Hinata-chan."

Still no signs of waking, but Naruto wouldn't give up. He would be there for her and help her through this rough time. He would be the shoulder for her to cry on, her knight in shining armor. He would gladly switch places with her if only it meant she would open her eyes.

Naruto laughed modestly, remembering the last time they were together. "That night, when I took you up to the Hokage Monument, there was something I wanted to say." Naruto reached out for her hand, thumbing her fingers loosely.

"I didn't want it to seem unlikely that we'd survive by telling you then." Naruto breathed heavily, "I didn't want it to become a 'just-in-case' scenario either. I wanted that moment to be special, and it was. It just wasn't the right time, that's all."

"I know that we're young, but that shouldn't be an excuse." Naruto took a deep breath, "Aishiteru, Hinata-chan, and I want with every fiber of my being to marry you, dattebayo." Naruto whispered, placing a kiss to Hinata's slightly parted lips.

When he pulled away from the one-sided kiss, his ocean-blue eyes met curious lavender. He was shocked at first, but her groggy voice brought him out of his stupor.

"That was beautiful," she murmured tiredly, "gomenasai, but…have we met before?"

And that was the moment Uzumaki Naruto's world shattered.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Alright! I managed another chapter within a week! GO ME! Now, don't get used to this, I just felt really guilty about not updating in a really long time that I felt I just HAD to get the next chapter out pronto! **

**Wow, did I really write this? I just feel like this was the BEST chapter I've ever written. Just really proud of myself right now. I just started writing and couldn't stop because it was getting really good. I especially enjoyed writing the Neji and Hanabi section. I know a lot of you are probably a weeeee bit upset with how I left it hanging, huh? *shrinks away* Just remember, you don't want to hurt the author because then you will forever be wondering what could have happened in the next chapter.**

**I would like to thank my reviewers for their uplifting comments, and I think my readers-that-don't-review ought to thank them too! It was because of them that this chapter got out so quickly. **

**Special Thanks to...(in order of when they reviewed – 1****st**** to last)**

_1. Dragon Man 180_

_2. dogboy1214_

_3. Lawlizilla_

_4. Rose Tiger_

_5. Systor1_

_6. serenity uchiha_

_7. Raye1084_

_8. XUsAgIxXkIX_

_9. shyheiress_

_10. Chewie Cookies_

**You all have my thanks! Please continue to review!**

**lub,**

**lil-lilac86**


	4. Beneath the Surface

**Shadows of the Night**

Disclaimer: As much as I love manipulating the_ Naruto_ cast, I do not own them!

**Chapter 4: Beneath the Surface**

Every angle, every direction…nothing greeted her but the still darkness. Where was she? How did she get here? Did she die after all? Perhaps she hadn't been quick enough in her movements, and now she would forever dwell in this eternal darkness.

"Gomenasai, Naruto-kun…" the fragile girl murmured sadly, "it looks as though I won't be able to greet you after all."

She sank to what she thought to be the ground, her legs curving around her as she clutched her throbbing midsection, tears wracking through her body. She was not crying for herself, no. She made her decision. She was crying for her love, who would stumble upon her broken body. She could only imagine the pain he would endure, and she would not be there to comfort him.

"What's happened to me?" she whispered into the bleak darkness. "How have I come to be in this dreadful place?"

While grieving in her seemingly defeated position, she felt a slight flicker of familiar chakra. She immediately sprang to her feet, for this chakra was not the friendly kind. She knew this chakra too well, at least by now.

"Am I to suffer all eternity with _you_?" She hissed venomously.

"My, my Hinata-chan," a snide voice replied, "aren't you in the least bit happy to see me?"

When the cocky voice was met with strained silence, it continued. "I would think even the bitterest of enemies would find comfort knowing they are not alone in such a place as this."

"I would have preferred being isolated in this darkness as opposed to sharing it with the likes of _you_, Kabuto." Hinata spat distastefully.

"Tsk, tsk Hinata-chan." Kabuto moved closer, slowly approaching her. "I'm all you've got, and I'm the only chance you have of escaping this place."

Hinata did not deter from her defensive position, but she was willing to listen to what he had to say about this bizarre dimension. "Am I to assume that you know where we are?"

Kabuto laughed at Hinata's obliviousness, "Don't you?"

When he was met with silence once more, he couldn't refrain from laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation.

"It would seem you don't know yourself very well, do you Hinata-chan?"

Hinata stiffened at his comment, "What are you suggesting?"

Kabuto moved so that he was standing directly in front of her. "This is your subconscious, Hinata-chan, and I am nothing more than a lingering soul unable to move on until you find your way out."

Hinata stared at him blankly, "Let me guess, you're supposed to be my guide? Is that it?"

Kabuto shrugged uninterestedly, "It must be my punishment in the afterlife for the crimes I committed in my past life. Not that I wouldn't do them again if I had the chance."

Hinata verbally expressed her disgust, "You vile little beast! You slaughtered my clan! You stole my innocence! You manipulated me and transformed my bloodline! How can you just sit there and pretend that you've done nothing of consequence?!"

Kabuto chuckled, "You act as though I should give a damn, Hinata-chan, but I don't." At Hinata's bewildered expression, he continued. "I followed my orders just like all shinobi do. I do not feel guilt for anything that I've done in the past. Besides, what good will dwelling on the past do for me here in the afterlife?"

Hinata choked on a sob, "But why me? Why did it have to be me?"

Kabuto's eyes twinkled in mischief, "You were the most vulnerable, and for all intents and purposes you still are." He quickly continued before Hinata had a chance to cut in. "You are different from your clan, Hinata-chan. You express your emotions so freely; it wasn't difficult to use them against you. That is your greatest weakness."

Kabuto ended his explanation abruptly, not wanting to dwell any longer on it. "Your main concern now should be how to escape from your subconscious. Tell me, Hinata-chan…why is it so dark here?"

Hinata glanced around her surroundings, not that there was anything to see other than pitch black nothingness. Now that she knew where she was, she also knew the reason for this suffocating darkness.

"Don't you recall saying that my emotions are my greatest weakness?" Hinata inquired crossly. "Obviously, my subconscious is tied to my emotions, and this current situation is caused by how I'm feeling."

Kabuto allowed a sickeningly sweet smile to pass over his crooked lips. "And how _are_ you feeling, Hinata-chan?"

Once again, Hinata hugged her midsection, hoping to find a minimal amount of comfort in this action. She knew exactly how she was feeling in this instance, but was it something that she wanted to admit to? Would Naruto think any less of her if he knew how she was feeling?

"Well, Hinata-chan?" Kabuto pressed impatiently.

"Helpless…" her whisper echoed in the chilling darkness.

"And why do you feel helpless?" Kabuto pushed, starting to enjoy this punishment. It was in his sadistic nature to find joy in another's despair.

Hinata sat once more on the indistinguishable ground. She curled her legs up so that she could wrap her arms around them and rest her chin on her knees.

"It's not just any one thing that makes me feel that way," she began, "it's the accumulation of many things."

"Such as?"

"The harsh words of my father reminding me of my weakness," Hinata eyed Kabuto deadly, "before you murdered him, that is."

Kabuto sat beside her, waving off her words as if they had no merit. "I needed eyes behind the walls of Konohagakure, and what better eyes than those of the Hyuuga clan leader?" Kabuto spoke as if he were talking of something simple like the weather. "Besides, he acted as a useful little trigger when it came to activating your newly enhanced Byakugan."

Kabuto's words were beginning to anger her, "It's a shame you couldn't just stay mute in the afterlife."

"Aa, like your neesan?" Kabuto retaliated.

That was her breaking point. Kabuto had hit too many nerves in the short time she'd detestably been in his presence. Hinata attempted to strike him, but his laughter halted her actions.

"You forget I'm dead, Hinata-chan." Kabuto reminded humorously, "You cannot harm me any more than you've already done."

"It never hurts to try," Hinata groused.

"I do believe we are getting off topic." He switched gears, avoiding Hinata's wrath. "What else gives you this feeling of helplessness?"

At this not-so-subtle reminder, Hinata became introspective once again. "It spans from failing missions to being unable to save someone's life…" Hinata sighed sadly, "like Matsuri-chan, my clan, and even those children."

"Hmm, children?" Kabuto pondered, earning yet another death glare from Hinata.

"Hai, you _must_ remember, Kabuto." Hinata emphasized sharply, "After all, you stole an egg from Sakura-chan, Tenten-chan, and myself to create living beings who barely had a chance to live!"

"You are awfully forgetful, Hinata-chan," Kabuto began airily, "I am a scientist, and those homunculi were nothing more than a failed experiment that needed to be terminated."

Hinata eyed him dangerously, causing Kabuto to question, "Nani?"

"Oh, nothing. I'm just wondering whether or not Orochimaru cut out your heart, granted that you even had one, when he took in a stray like you."

"Do not address Orochimaru-sama or myself in such a manner!" Kabuto released his anger before reeling it back in. "What would a little girl like you know about great scientists like us?"

Hinata replied in a cold demeanor, "If you believe Orochimaru or yourself to have been great scientists, then you certainly deserved one another."

Kabuto took a moment to silently reflect on his past life with Orochimaru. For him, those had been the most glorious years of his life. "Hai, he was a great man."

"You mean snake?" Hinata supplied offhandedly.

Kabuto's eyes narrowed on Hinata, "I think we've gotten off track again, Hinata-chan. Where did we leave off?"

Hinata sighed loudly, knowing that if she wanted to escape from her own subconscious she'd have to cooperate with Kabuto. "We were discussing my feelings of helplessness."

"Aa." Kabuto remembered. "I believe we've established what makes you helpless," Hinata cringed angrily by his taunting, "now, let's discuss what removes this feeling."

Hinata jolted at this next topic of conversation. She could feel a heated blush warm her cheeks, and she was thankful for the darkness to shield her embarrassment. "Excuse me?"

Kabuto sighed boredly, "Onegai, Hinata-chan. Try to stay focused. I would like to leave this place as well."

Hinata could feel herself stuttering, "I-It's p-personal…"

A slow, sly smile spread across Kabuto's face. "Not a 'what,'" he began, "more like a 'who?'" He implied suggestively.

With Hinata's uncomfortable, fidgety behavior, Kabuto knew he was correct. "Uzumaki Naruto."

"Ano…" Hinata started, but words would not form.

Kabuto chuckled, "Now is not the time to be modest, Hinata-chan. It's obvious what you and that gaki mean to each other."

Hinata would never hide the truth from herself. She knew that Naruto was her strength, her hope, and her champion. His encouraging words and actions were enough to get her through even the hardest of times. She only wished she could hear his voice in her greatest time of need.

"Naruto-kun has always supported me," Hinata shyly admitted, "even when others gave up on me. Naruto-kun has always been a steady presence in my life, encouraging me to do my best. He has this ability to wash away all doubt and helplessness from my mind with only a kind word or smile directed my way."

Kabuto seemed slightly put-off from this explanation. He was expecting something a little juicier than 'kind words' and 'smiles.'

"That's…fascinating." He struggled for something to say. "Well, now that we know what has caused this darkness to form in your mind and how to overcome it, let's start working on a way to escape."

Hinata stared at him strangely. Was it really that simple? No, there had to be more to it than that. As Hinata watched Kabuto closely, she just knew there was something he was keeping from her.

"Kabuto," she had gained his attention, "what is it that you're hiding from me?" Hinata asked suspiciously.

Kabuto smiled sadly. Not because he empathized with the girl, or anything like that. It just upset him to know that she had been yet another failed experiment.

"I'm not hiding anything from you, Hinata-chan." Kabuto explained carefully. "I'm just not telling you everything just yet."

Before Hinata could question his motives, a _very_ familiar voice echoed in the darkness.

"_I came back to you, Hinata-chan, just like I promised."_

His voice was much deeper than how it had been from childhood. He still had that slightly immature tone to it, but the gentleness in his pitch smoothed it over. Oh, how she missed the sound of his voice. How long had it been since she last heard him?

"_Now it's your turn, come back to me."_

His voice cracked, and it was enough for Hinata to tear up herself. Forgetting all about Kabuto and trying to escape, she sprinted in the direction she thought she heard his voice.

"Naruto-kun!"

She wasn't sure where she was running, but she just had to find him. He needed her just as much as she needed him! He'd done his part in returning to her, she just couldn't let him down. After what seemed like hours, she noticed something glowing in the distance. This first sign of light was enough to push her forward, out of the darkness. As she got closer, she noticed images manifesting from the luminous glow. Hinata slowed to a stop, breathing heavily as she stared down into the face of her love.

Naruto was there in that flashing light, looking down on her as if he could really see her. Hinata reached out for him slowly, almost afraid that he would disappear and she would be thrust back into the darkness. As she gazed into the small orb of light, she'd forgotten where she was and whom she was with.

"He can't see you, Hinata-chan." Kabuto's bland voice broke her out of her reverie.

"But, he's looking right at _me_." Hinata tried to explain.

Kabuto sighed tiredly, "He is looking at your comatose body. To him, you are merely sleeping." Kabuto glanced down at the small ball of light that had captivated Hinata so. "He does not see the girl trapped within her own mind."

Hinata stumbled while trying to find the right words, "Kabuto," she licked her lips, "is this…could this be what is happening on the outside…right now?"

Kabuto looked down at the girl, realizing her desperation and earnest to know. "Hai."

Hinata focused all of her attention on Kabuto, a new fire burning in her eyes. "You know how I'm supposed to escape, don't you?"

"I do."

Hinata clenched her fists in anticipation, "What is it? What do I have to do?"

Kabuto stared down at her with cool, calculated eyes. "You have to forget."

"Nani?" Hinata asked breathily.

"It is as I've told you, Hinata-chan." Kabuto peered at her coldly. "You must forget everything if you wish to escape."

"Everything?"

"Aa." Kabuto agreed cruelly. "You have to choose for yourself what it is you will do, but if you choose to forget you must forget it all. You must forget your family, your friends, your memories, yourself…including Uzumaki Naruto."

Hinata stood stock still unable to believe such a thing. "Forget…Naruto-kun?"

"Should you oppose, you will remain here in this endless void with me and your memories." Kabuto explained tediously. "However, should you choose to forget everything that has ever mattered to you, you will leave this place and awaken."

Hinata shakily turned to face Kabuto, "Is there a chance…that I'll ever remember?"

Kabuto pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, the light from the orb glinting on his lenses. "It's possible, but not guaranteed."

Kabuto turned away from Hinata and the ball of light. "It is your choice, Hinata-chan." Kabuto slumped dejectedly, "But you should know, whichever you choose…your newly enhanced Byakugan will fail to work."

Hinata stared over her shoulder wearily, "Dare I ask, why?"

Kabuto stared down at her like he did all failed experiments, with disgust. "The serum I slipped into your drinks only caused a temporary reaction. Without constant use of the serum, the enhanced Byakugan will fail to work. Eventually, it will taper off." Kabuto began to walk away from her, into the darkness. "I had been working on a more permanent serum to administer prior to my death, but now that is one experiment that I will never be able to complete."

As an after thought, Kabuto added, "Besides, you're body has become too _frail_ and _worn_. The deathly images would have put too much of a strain on the nerves in your brain and killed you anyway."

With his final taunting words, Kabuto slinked off into the darkness, leaving Hinata alone with her thoughts and the images of her love.

She didn't know how long she sat there, staring longingly into the glowing orb…into the crystal blue eyes of her Naruto. How could she forget _him_? He meant everything in the world to her. She would forget everything else, even herself, if only she would be allowed to remember him.

As she tossed these options around, she was startled as Naruto began to speak again.

"_Even though you're sleeping, I hope you can hear me, Hinata-chan."_

Hinata perked at the sound of his voice. Even though he sounded terribly upset, it was still a small comfort to her. He was speaking directly to her, and Hinata wanted with every ounce of love she had for him to be able to speak to him too.

"_I'm proud of you, Hinata-chan. You were the one that beat Kabuto, weren't you?"_

She blushed prettily at his praise and the warm smile that he bestowed on her. Her only wish at that moment was for things to have ended differently. She wished that she hadn't slipped into a coma, which left her with this awful decision. But she couldn't live in what-ifs and what-could-have-beens. She had to make a decision right now that would forever affect not only her life but also everyone's that she held dear.

"_It was thanks to you that we were able to defeat Orochimaru."_

Hinata sniffled sadly from the thankfulness in his words. "You give me too much credit, Naruto-kun."

It was then that she noticed his warm smile slip away from his lips. She could tell he was remembering something terrible from his battle, but what it was she would never know.

"_Arigato, Hinata-chan, even_ _miles away, you're still able to save me, but…"_

Something was wrong, what was wrong? He seemed torn, heartbroken. Was this barrier between them just as heart wrenching for him as it was for her? Could he truly love her just as much? Hinata was near tears. She never wanted him to feel this kind of pain. Naruto had been alone all of his life, and to have that feeling of loneliness swarm over him again must have been unbearable.

"_but I was still unable to save you."_

Hinata's eyes widened in disbelief. No, he couldn't! He was blaming himself for her choice? The guilt did not belong to him. She would never pin her love with something so dreadful.

"_I only wish you would open your eyes. I only feel at home in your eyes, Hinata-chan."_

"Oh, Naruto-kun…" Hinata trailed off, unable to speak. They were the same. Naruto had the kindest, safest blue eyes she had ever seen. For her, it didn't matter where she lived, so long as she had Naruto with her. That's why she could understand what Naruto meant by only feeling at home in her eyes, because she felt the same about him.

"_That night, when I took you up to the Hokage Monument, there was something I wanted to say." _

Hinata held her breath, uncertain of where he was taking this. She remembered their final moments together before he had to leave her. That night had been the best night of her life. That was the night Naruto had finally told her that he loved her, really loved her. That was a night Hinata would always treasure, and she prayed she would remember it.

"_I didn't want it to seem unlikely that we'd survive by telling you then."_

"Telling me what, Naruto-kun?" Hinata whispered more to herself. She was feeling anxious and excited about what he might say.

"_I didn't want it to become a 'just-in-case' scenario either. I wanted that moment to be special, and it was. It just wasn't the right time, that's all."_

It was a special moment, and she felt blissful knowing that Naruto felt the same way. Yet Hinata still anticipated what he was about to tell her. "What wasn't the right time…?"

"_I know that we're young, but that shouldn't be an excuse."_

Hinata felt like her heart beats were flat-lining. He couldn't be about to say what she thought he was.

"_Aishiteru, Hinata-chan, and I want with every fiber of my being to marry you, dattebayo."_

"Hai, Naruto-kun…" a shy, watery smile spread across her lips as she answered his proposal. After hearing all that Naruto had said to her, her decision didn't seem so difficult. She couldn't just lock herself away in her mind with only her memories for comfort. She had to be there creating and experiencing new memories _with_ him. It was hurting the both of them too much being separated like this.

Even though she wouldn't remember him, or the beautiful proposal he made to her, she hoped that in time she would. Her love for Naruto was magnetic, and she knew that she would fall in love with him again. He was her soul mate.

Taking a deep breath, Hinata announced, "I promise to forget everything. All of who I am and all of what I know. I willingly sacrifice my memories in return for my freedom."

"Let it be done!" Kabuto's voice rang out with a resounding clap. "Sayonara, Hinata-chan…" he whispered as he slowly vanished.

Hinata closed her eyes tightly as a feeling of awakening came over her. Her mind was being pulled away from her subconscious and back to reality. As she began to stir, grogginess overcame her, along with a killer headache. She was unable to open her eyes just yet; however, she could hear a strange voice above her.

"Aishiteru, Hinata-chan, and I want with every fiber of my being to marry you, dattebayo." The masculine voice declared.

Suddenly, she could feel a pair of soft lips envelope her own in a soft caress. It was a strange, yet somehow familiar sensation, but she couldn't remember why. She was too stunned to respond to the brief kiss, but the kiss was enough to make her open her eyes.

As the man pulled away, she stared up at him with curiosity. This man treated her with such familiarity that she must know him from somewhere. When their eyes connected, he seemed shocked by her.

Still feeling that overwhelming grogginess, she decided to speak first. "That was beautiful," she murmured tiredly, "gomenasai, but…have we met before?"

What she saw next made her feel badly for posing her question. The light left his eyes, and the man above her seemed completely broken.

She tried to say something, anything to bring back that light. "Gomen…ano…"

Before she had a chance to really say anything, the man excused himself quickly and left her alone with her thoughts.

"What just happened?" She asked herself. She slowly stood to her shaky feet, feeling slightly unbalanced. She noticed she was wearing a yukata and blushed terribly, knowing that man had seen her in this thin material. She made her way to a mirror, all the while trying to remember anything at all about what happened to her.

She felt achy and stiff and her abdomen was throbbing dully. When she reached the mirror, she gasped in shock. She could not recognize the woman standing before her. The long, dark hair was unfamiliar, and the stunned lavender eyes confused her. As she studied this body, she noticed impressive curves, but then she blushed at those thoughts of what appeared to be _her_ body.

"W-Who am I?" She nervously questioned. "W-Where am I?"

She stepped toward the mirror, placing a delicately pale hand over the reflection of her hand. She leaned forward, resting her head against the cool glass as tears flowed down her cheeks.

"Why can't I remember?" She whispered brokenly.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Wow! Pretty deep stuff, huh? I really wanted to explain what was going on with Hinata, even though she was comatose. I wanted to show that it was Hinata's decision to abandon her memories to be with Naruto once again. She has confidence that she will fall for him again, so don't lose hope my despairing readers!**

**Sorry if this was confusing, what with the whole subconscious-ness thing. I wanted to show what was going on inside Hinata's mind, while at the same time showing what was happening with Naruto and her body (NOTHING DIRTY!). If you're still confused, be sure to drop a review or PM me!!**

**I hope this chapter was worthy!! I'm certainly impressed! I'd like to think my writing is getting better! I spent the last few days rereading Love Is A Battlefield and the first 3 chapters of this fic, and I can see a huge difference. I think that when this fic ends (not for a LONG time, mind you) I'm going to go back and edit Love Is A Battlefield. I'm going to make sure it is all in the 3****rd**** person – no more 1****st**** – and fix spelling errors, or improvise however I can!**

**Thanks for waiting patiently for this chapter! Please review at least to acknowledge that I did a good job! It really is an emotional boost when you find out that your work IS appreciated! Thanks again!**

**lub,**

**lil-lilac86**


	5. A Time For Healing

**Shadows of the Night**

Disclaimer: As much as I love manipulating the_ Naruto_ cast, I do not own them!

**Chapter 5: A Time for Healing**

He had to get out. Now. Being physically near her caused him immense pain, and the smell of her floral scent was a luxury he was no longer allowed. He could clearly see the confusion and emptiness in her eyes. The manner in which she observed him unnerved him greatly. She gazed upon him as if he were a stranger, like they'd never met. The look she gave him alone cut him deeply, but the emptiness behind her stare broke him completely. Her words only confirmed what he felt he already knew.

"Gomen…ano…" The familiar sound of her voice caused goose bumps to prickle along the nape of his neck, and his anguish continued to plummet further. She was trying to amend for the words she had previously spoken, but he couldn't bring himself to hear another word.

It was all too much! Pain swept through his bleeding heart, an indescribable pain. He clutched at it, praying that he was strong enough to keep the shattering pieces from slipping away.

He cast one more glance into those hollow, empty pools and suddenly wished that he hadn't. He could see the apology exposed before him within her eyes, and he couldn't stomach it. He couldn't face this, not now!

His breathing became erratic. When did the air supply run out? Why did it feel like the walls were closing in on him? Couldn't she see what was happening? Staggeringly, he clumsily escaped the suffocating room as quickly as he was physically able.

The moment he was free from the unbearably overpowering room, Naruto tensely leaned back against the wall directly across from the source of his turmoil. He stared at the door before him. It was only a door. Large, rectangular, four corners, and four sides. How could a door intimidate him so much? No, it wasn't the physical qualities of the door that he feared; rather, it was what the door concealed that made it seem so terrifying.

Naruto was dripping with cold sweat as he studied the door. Give him dishonorable shinobi to deal with. Hell, throw in some tailed beasts and Akatsuki, he'd gladly jump in to meet them. Anything…_anything_ was better than what he had to face behind that closed door. Behind that door lie unbidden truths that he couldn't bring himself to accept.

As he stared unblinkingly at the obstacle before him, he failed to notice the presence of another chakra signature in the corridor. Naruto startled upon hearing his name uttered beside him.

"Naruto?" The soft voice repeated, trying ever-so-carefully not to come across as a threat.

Naruto glanced shakily to his right, "Kurenai-sensei?"

Kurenai's scarlet-hued eyes softened as she studied the distraught teen. Slowly, she placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, hoping to gain his full attention through the sense of touch.

"Breathe, Naruto." Kurenai counseled. "Take in a few deep breaths to steady that tremor in your voice."

Naruto did as she asked, but his posture remained rigid. His voice was small when he spoke again. "Heh, I told Neji that you guys would beat us home," Naruto tried to hide behind his mask, "looks like I was wrong."

"Hai," Kurenai offered a kind yet somber smile, "but what kind of home have we returned to?"

Naruto glanced down at his feet, no longer able to keep up the charade that he'd been trying to pull. "Everything's just really messed up right now, Kurenai-sensei," he hit his fist against the wall behind him, "None of this was supposed to happen!"

Kurenai watched him closely, taking in his offensive stance. Naruto was close to snapping, that much was obvious; it was now her duty to diffuse the situation.

"From what I've heard, things could have been a lot worse if not for the courage of a timid heiress we both know." Kurenai began subtly.

She watched as Naruto's offensive stance transformed into a defeated one. The change was instantaneous. Very unlike the Naruto she had come to know. Something in her words had caused this behavior, and she was certain she knew which ones they were.

"Hinata is going to be fine, Naruto," Kurenai soothed. "She's a much stronger person, thanks to you."

Naruto cringed further at her words. Kurenai was derailed; her words seemed to bring out the opposite effect that she was pulling for.

"What has happened?" Her vigilant eyes narrowed slightly. He knew something that he was not sharing.

A half-hearted smile passed his lips, "Hinata-chan's awake."

Kurenai almost smiled in return for hearing that her former student awakened from her coma, but something in Naruto's tone hinted that there was something more…something he was unwilling to share.

"Is this not good news?" She attempted to pry.

Naruto shook his head, struggling to say the words that were caught in his throat. "S-something went w-wrong," he began waveringly. "Her eyes…they're not the same…so empty…"

Kurenai held back a gasp upon hearing his troubling explanation. She remained absolutely silent, giving Naruto plenty of time to come up with the words that would explain what he meant.

Naruto whispered the last part, finally admitting to himself what he refused to believe before. "…Hinata-chan…she doesn't remember…anything…"

Kurenai's lips parted, letting out all the breath from her lungs, and her eyes widened slightly. "Amnesia?"

Naruto nodded, mumbling, "Long-term."

"How can you be certain?" She asked gently.

Naruto stared into her eyes for the first time, his eyes hard and cold, "Because she has no memory of _me_."

Kurenai gasped unintentionally. She knew how often Hinata thought about Naruto. He was always a factor in her life, even during their academy days. Maybe even before that. Her love for Naruto only grew as they became genin. Kurenai could always tell when Hinata was thinking about Naruto. The way her lips curved into a secret, subtle smile…the way her eyes would light up and then soften when she thought that she was alone. Even when Kurenai would train her team to fight against Genjutsu, she would see Naruto in Hinata's thoughts, acting as her lifeline to pull her out.

As Kurenai observed the tortured young man, she knew that this new situation cost him dearly. Kurenai enveloped Naruto in a motherly hug, giving him the shelter that he needed to let all of his walls down.

Naruto choked on a sob, and then another until the torrent of agony buried away in his heart broke out into hysterics as Kurenai held him.

She stroked his hair and held him tightly, murmuring quiet reassurances in his ear. "Everything will turn out right in the end, Naruto," she whispered. "We will all be here to help Hinata regain her memories."

All he could do was nod, not trusting his voice.

"Sometimes the world can be cruel," she reminded him, "and who would know that better than us?"

Naruto said nothing; instead, opting to listen to the jonin's wise words. "This struggle can only make the bond the two of you share stronger. You can't let this little hiccup stop you." Kurenai pondered something for a moment. "Imagine yourself on a mission, and you come across a crater a mile wide and several hundred feet deep. What do you do?" She questioned. "Do you abort the mission and return to the village because something unexpected came along? Or, do you persevere through it and find a means to cross?"

Kurenai could see the light returning to his eyes, she was getting through to him. "Don't give up on Hinata. She has waited a lifetime for you. Don't let her slip away…don't be like me…"

Naruto pulled away slightly, so he could better see her face. "What do you mean, Kurenai-sensei?" Naruto prodded further, "What do you mean, 'don't be like me?'" he quoted.

Kurenai sighed regretfully. She resigned herself to this, but if it would help him better to understand what he could be giving up, she would gladly share her story.

"I had just become a chuunin. I'd shown all of Konoha that I was a strong, independent kunoichi suitable to protect this village." She took a deep breath, motioning for Naruto to have a seat against the wall, for this was going to be a lengthy story.

"Yet, I still received doubtful glares from not only the villagers, but also among some of my peers." Kurenai stared off distantly. "Back then, women were not well-received in the shinobi world. Women were not seen as being stronger than men, and people often wondered what 'protection' kunoichi could offer."

Naruto interrupted, "Tsunade-baachan wasn't treated like that…and she's older."

Kurenai offered Naruto a crooked smile, taking notice of how naïve this teenager really seemed to be. "You forget, Naruto," she reprimanded, "Tsunade-sama was the First Hokage's granddaughter, not to mention one of the three Legendary Sannin. You would have to be a fool to cross her. A woman like her demands respect. The rest of us have to earn it."

Naruto blanched at the thought of women being discriminated against in such a despicable manner. How could people think such things?

"Every day was a battle for me. I had to push myself harder, make myself stronger. One day, I found myself cornered by three men, my peers. They called my rank a joke, and set out to demonstrate how women could never be a part of the shinobi world. I fought them off the best I could, but I was still young, and they were all of higher rank. Eventually, the bruises and scars began to fade, and my dream of becoming a strong, independent kunoichi soon became an ongoing mission. I could not show even an ounce of weakness." Kurenai frowned remorsefully. "My peers tended to drop by unannounced to teach me several 'lessons.'"

Kurenai looked up to the ceiling, her eyes softening. "That is the state in which I met Sarutobi Asuma." She closed her eyes, remembering. "He and I were teamed up to go on an infiltration mission. I was to use my abilities to acquire information, and he was to provide the 'muscle.'"

Kurenai released a dry laugh, "I was so angry with him. Who did he think he was dealing with? I refused to believe that I was weak, and to have it sound as though I was infuriated me. He was just the Third Hokage's renegade, smart-mouthed, chain-smoking son. What did he know?"

Kurenai could feel the pull of her lips descend into a soured frown. "We'd set up camp, and Asuma decided to confront me about my attitude…he touched my shoulder unexpectedly, and I immediately went into an offensive stance, twisting my body out from under his touch. Asuma backed away with his hands held high to show me that he didn't mean to startle me…but…that is when he got a good look at me."

She lightly touched the space between her right shoulder and her collarbone. "My chuunin vest came undone, showing the white v-necked garment that I usually wear. He noticed the discoloration of my skin. I tried to brush it off as an accident during training, but he wasn't easily fooled."

Naruto stared at the older woman with sympathetic eyes. How cruel life _could_ be.

"He wouldn't let it go until he got the whole truth. Afterwards, Asuma did not say a word to me unless it was about the mission. When we returned to the village, he left me to my own devices, telling me that he would report our mission to the Hokage. He was gone before I could protest. It was some time later that I discovered what Asuma really did."

Naruto couldn't keep silent any longer, "What did he do?"

Kurenai smiled a small smile, "He hunted down the shinobi who beat me, presented them to his father, the Hokage, and had them thrown into Konoha's prison for enemies against the village. After that, Asuma made it his own personal mission to stay by my side wherever we went."

Again, Naruto couldn't help but question. "No offense, Kurenai-sensei, I'm honored that you would share something so personal with me, but I don't quite see how this applies to Hinata-chan and I."

Kurenai offered him another sad smile. "I was subconsciously afraid of a man's touch, Naruto. After going through what I've been through, I didn't even know that I _was_ pushing him away. Asuma made several attempts to court me, but every single time I pushed him away. And now, many years later, I'm ready to accept his attentions, and now _he_ is the one pushing _me_ away." Kurenai began to tear up, doing her best to keep the tremors from her voice. "I waited too long, and now Asuma sees me as nothing more than a friend, a comrade."

Naruto found himself speechless. Their love story was just as depressing as his was now.

Kurenai cleared her throat the best she could. "That's why you can't give up, Naruto. You have to keep fighting for Hinata, and help her get through this trying time."

A new determination burned in Naruto's eyes. No matter what, he _would_ help Hinata recover her lost memories, and he would help her create new ones too.

Footsteps could be heard further down the corridor. Kurenai and Naruto both stood from their seated positions against the wall. As the figure inched closer, Kurenai could barely make out his features. Once he stepped into the light, her suspicions were confirmed. Asuma had been listening.

Naruto could sense the tension in the air, and he was slightly uncomfortable. It was Asuma who broke the silence.

"Kurenai," he spoke clearly, "would you mind taking a walk with me?"

Kurenai studied his features for a moment, before turning to face Naruto once more.

"You just think about what I said, okay Naruto?"

Naruto gave her a beaming smile, "Already thought about it, Kurenai-sensei! No worries! Dattebayo!"

Kurenai smiled motherly at Naruto before turning to face her next challenge of the day. During her exchange with Naruto, Asuma had taken the opportunity to light up another cigarette, waiting for her to come with him.

"Lead the way, Asuma." Kurenai initiated.

Naruto watched as the two disappeared down the hall, and all the while he couldn't help but hope things would go better for the unofficial couple.

He stared long and hard at the once formidable door. She was inside, probably frightened and confused, without a single memory to comfort her in her time of need. He wanted to enter the room and be the one to soothe her, but he also understood that she might need a few moments to herself. Right now, it was important for him to locate Shizune and Neji and inform them of Hinata's current state.

Naruto stepped toward the door and laid his palm against the smooth wooden surface. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"I'll be right back, Hinata-chan," he whispered through the door. "I'll do everything I can to help you get through this," he vowed.

Slowly, Naruto stepped away from the room, turning to head down the corridor in the opposite direction from Kurenai and Asuma. He needed to find Shizune right away…and he dreaded telling Neji, but it had to be done.

xxxx

The young woman turned her eyes downcast, no longer able to stare at her unknown reflection. How could she gaze upon someone she didn't know, even her own reflection, and just feel completely empty inside? It was like she didn't understand how she should feel. Scared? Alone? Confused? No, she could feel each of those emotions clearly. The one that she struggled with the most was this feeling of emptiness.

Now she could understand why that boy ran from her earlier. He couldn't gaze upon her, just like how she couldn't stomach to look upon herself. Everything was completely blank, and it unnerved her greatly.

She glanced around the small room, clutching the front of her yukata closed. For some reason, she felt quite modest even when no one was around her. She could find nothing within this room that would tell her who she was or what had happened to her. The room itself was rather plain. There were no knick-knacks or anything that would show personality within the confines of this room. Everything was stationary. There was a bed, a dresser, a mirror, and the door. Nothing in this room made her feel the slightest bit welcome. The longer she remained in this prison, the more she yearned to leave.

Ever so slowly, she made her way to the door, almost afraid to touch it. What if someone was guarding her and she really was a prisoner? What if they attacked her with malicious intent? She didn't know how to defend herself! The thought alone terrified her. What could she do?

Coming face to face with the large wooden door, she rested her forehead against it, feeling the roughness scratch against her skin. She closed her eyes in thought, considering any escape scenarios that could free her from this place. Before she could even go over the first, voices sounded from the other side. Her eyes shot open immediately, fear evident within her hollow hues. So, she _was_ being guarded? Perhaps this would be her chance to learn about who held her hostage. Carefully and quietly, the woman placed an ear to the door.

There were two distinct voices. One sounded like a woman, but the other was much deeper, more masculine. Actually, he sounded quite familiar. The tone of his voice soothed her frazzled nerves, making her feel safe, warm, and secure in this unknown place.

As she listened, she could make out parts of their conversation.

"_Hinata-chan's awake."_ The man declared briefly, solemnly.

"Hinata?" The young woman whispered in confusion. "Could this be my name?"

"_Her eyes…they're not the same…so empty…"_ His tone sank into a husky mumble.

'Hinata' frowned guiltily, "So he _did_ notice…" she trailed off.

Suddenly, the man raised his voice sounding so cold, _"Because she has no memory of __**me**__!"_

This caused her to flinch, feeling more ashamed of herself for causing this young man so much pain since waking up. She had a hard time deciphering the woman's side of the conversation, only catching a few words like: _"Hinata," "Naruto,"_ and _"memories."_

"Naruto…" 'Hinata' whispered, testing his name on her lips. Just saying his name aloud caused a shiver to run up her spine and a blush to stain her ivory cheeks. Briefly, she wondered if she would have had the same reaction if it was someone else's name.

'Hinata' had to shake herself from her reverie, feeling as though she'd missed much of the private conversation between the woman and _Naruto_ – another shiver just from _thinking_ his name. "Focus…focus…" she whispered to herself.

"_No offense, Kurenai-sensei, I'm honored that you would share something so personal with me, but I don't quite see how this applies to Hinata-chan and I."_ Confusion laced through his voice.

'Hinata' tried to listen carefully for the woman named 'Kurenai,' but still she only caught a few phrases this time: _"can't give up,"_ _"keep fighting,"_ and _"help her."_

She was struggling to understand any of this. Was there something wrong with her? Was she deathly ill? What was going on? Suddenly, her breathing became more difficult to control. All of the emotions she'd identified earlier came upon her with a vengeance. Everything felt more severe, and the stress of the situation was making her swoon on her feet. To steady herself, she rested her head against the door while propping her body up with her palm pressing against the wooden surface.

Then it felt like he was closer to her somehow, and his voice was just a whisper through their little barrier. _"I'll be right back, Hinata-chan."_ The sound of his voice and his words made her blush. It just felt more intimate to her.

"_I'll do everything I can to help you get through this." _He was making a solid promise to her, and it brought more tears to her eyes. All 'Hinata' could do was nod her head, accepting his pledge.

And then he was gone. She could hear his footsteps begin to fade, and she knew she was alone once more. She yearned for him to return. She didn't feel nearly as alone or confused or scared with him close by…but that swell of emptiness inside her did not fade. The only thing she could get out of this 'Naruto' was a strange familiarity to his presence. She knew him, of this she was certain, but how she knew him was still a mystery.

Carefully, she turned the knob, jarring the squeaky door open a crack to check down the looming hallway to confirm that she was indeed alone. Quickly, 'Hinata' pushed the door the rest of the way and stepped into the corridor. She turned her head left and right, judging which way would lead her to the exit.

"Gomen, Naruto, but I have to try." She whispered in hushed tones. "Onegai, forgive me."

Clutching her yukata more closely, she took off sprinting barefoot down the hall, no longer caring which direction she went. All she knew was that she had to try to escape, gather her bearings, and determine where to go from there.

xxxx

Kurenai followed along quietly as Asuma lead her into the Hyuuga gardens. A reminiscent smile spread across her lips as she remembered it was Hinata who cared for these beautiful flowers, giving them life.

Asuma eventually slowed to a stop, Kurenai a foot behind him. She studied him carefully, wondering just how much he'd overheard during her and Naruto's conversation.

When he first spoke, Kurenai held her breath in anticipation.

"So…I'm a 'renegade, smart-mouthed, chain-smoker,' am I?" She could hear the smile in his voice.

She was able to deduce that he'd heard the whole thing, since he just quoted from the beginnings of that conversation.

"You do know what they say about eavesdroppers, don't you Asuma?" Kurenai half-glared.

"That's the thing about eavesdroppers. There's usually something that they didn't want to hear. " Asuma replied, turning to face her. "Which is why I don't usually partake in the habit."

Kurenai countered with false sweetness. "Is there a reason you asked me out here, Asuma?"

He eyed her carefully, taking another drag from his cigarette. "It was something you'd said…didn't make much sense."

Kurenai placed her hands on her hips, giving him the look that screamed, 'Explain if you value your life.'

Asuma offered a crooked smile, "I'm pushing you away?"

She could no longer hold his gaze, her eyes drifting to her feet. "We've had this conversation in so many different ways, but I believe this is the first time we've actually confronted the crux of our problems, Asuma."

He remained silent, waiting for her to continue.

"You already know what life was like back then for me; I don't want to relive that pain twice in one day." She subconsciously rubbed her neck in remembrance.

Asuma clenched his teeth together, crushing his cigarette in light of his rising anger. That chapter in both their lives hadn't truly had a chance to heal. It only served to cause Kurenai pain and invite his anger.

"You haven't answered my question," he reminded, "how am I pushing you away?"

Kurenai closed her scarlet-colored eyes, "You shy away from me if we get too close…you change the subject when it starts to wander towards us, being together…am I such a hideous person that you can't bring yourself to touch?"

He could hear the hitch in her voice, and it tore at his heart. This whole time…the reason they weren't together, it had all been one huge misunderstanding. He dropped his cigarette to the ground, digging his heel into it to put it out.

"Oh, Kurenai…how foolish I've been." Asuma held his face in one hand, disbelieving the years he'd put any possibility of a relationship on hold. "I held myself in check all of these years for you, it was all for you."

Her ruby eyes shot open in astonishment. "What do you mean, Asuma?"

Asuma stepped closer to her, "When we were younger, I noticed how you would flinch when you were in close proximity to a man." He moved to take both of her hands in his. "I didn't want you to fear me. I wanted to be close to you, but I had to keep my distance as well…you never seemed to notice your reaction to men, so I tried to work around your fears."

Both of her hands were lifted to his heart, and he held them there. "Kurenai…I have loved you for so many years, but my own fears got the better of me." He stared longingly into her eyes, "Can you forgive a fool for being so cowardly?"

Kurenai held his gaze this time, disbelief held deep within hers. Had it all just been a stupid misunderstanding? All of this time lost?

Smoothly, she removed one hand from his hold, placing it gingerly against his cheek, stroking him lovingly. Tears welled up in her eyes, giving them a watery, softening gloss.

"Can a fool forgive a fool?" She asked softly.

Both smiled lovingly at the other, and soon they were both laughing at the idiocy of their behavior. Their love had been burning for each other for so long, and still it burned.

"I'm just sorry it took us so long to get here," he kissed her wrist's pulse point.

Kurenai pulled herself closer to him, "Yet, here we are."

Asuma shifted lower, barely a breath away, "Hai, here we are," he whispered against her lips before claiming them for the first time in all of their years together.

xxxx

Naruto wanted to fill in Neji and Shizune as quickly as possible so that he could return to Hinata's side, but the Hyuuga Estate was like a maze. He was struggling to find them, so he opted to return to the courtyard and ask around for anyone that had seen either of them.

As he walked around, he couldn't help but notice all the hard work the villagers were putting into laying the Hyuuga Clan to rest. This was going to be a difficult subject to breach with Hinata, when she'd be ready to hear it. Naruto sighed loudly. He didn't even know how to start a conversation with her anymore. It reminded him of their academy days. She was so quiet and shy, and he was much too loud and boisterous. It still shocked him to this day how they'd become a couple, but these were thoughts he couldn't afford to focus on now. His duty to Hinata came before all else. No matter what, he would do everything in his power to help her rekindle her lost memories.

Naruto almost jumped for joy after turning around the corner onto a side street of the courtyard. There were the very two people he had been searching for…along with a few others. He spotted Kiba and Akamaru, Shino, Choji, Gaara, and Hinata's younger sister Hanabi with them. Whatever conversation they were just in immediately became silent as Naruto approached. Naruto could only assume they were all being very cautious with him since he was pretty unstable earlier.

"Oi, Naruto! We were just talking about you!" Naruto could always count on Kiba to be unaffected by awkward silences.

Naruto laughed nervously, "Whatever it was you guys think I did, I can honestly say it wasn't me!"

The ever-silent Aburame spoke in clipped tones, "We were discussing Hinata's condition, and your name came up."

The uplifted mood suddenly left Naruto's features as he took in all of the solemn faces. Everyone present was connected to Hinata in some way; whether it be her teammates, kin, or friends alike, each person held equal anxiety for the heiress.

Naruto needed clarification, "How much do you know on Hinata's condition."

Neji watched Naruto closely, his white eyes narrowing slightly in suspicion. "They know just as much about Hinata's condition as _we_ do, Uzumaki."

Naruto had to restrain himself from flinching at Neji's words, which hadn't gone unnoticed by the last male Hyuuga. "You know something more," he accused.

Hanabi's head shot toward Naruto's face, her question dying on her lips. Naruto glanced over at her in confusion, wondering why she hadn't voiced her question. He waited only a few seconds to see if she would continue, and when it was obvious that she would not, he shifted his eyes back to Neji.

"I don't know the best way to say this, so I'm just gonna say it," Naruto took a deep breath. "Hinata-chan has woken from her coma…"

Before he could finish, Kiba and Akamaru were heard celebrating. "Yeah! That's my girl! Knew she'd wake up eventually!" Kiba went to high-five Shino, but on second thought he just decided to whoop and holler.

Shizune and Neji ignored Kiba's antics, waiting for Naruto to finish saying what he had been about to say.

"Um, Kiba?" Choji motioned for him to cut it out. The atmosphere hadn't lightened in the least, and Kiba's showboating wasn't helping anything.

"Nani? What else is there to say?" Kiba looked at every face in turn. "Hinata's gonna be fine! Didn't you hear Naruto? She's awake now and –"

"Can it, Inuzuka!" Neji demanded.

When Naruto had his entire audience's full attention, he cleared his voice and uttered the words that still cut him to the core, "She has absolutely no memory of anything…and I'm guessing she doesn't even remember her own name."

The silence was deafening; no one dared to even breathe. All eyes shifted between Naruto and the two Hyuugas in their group. The tension was so thick, even Kiba wasn't stupid enough to break it.

Shizune went into immediate medic mode, spouting off questions, "How long ago did she wake up? Does there seem to be any disorientation? Did she react badly to having no memory? Have you checked her vitals at the very least?"

Naruto put his hands up in defense, "Hold on! I can't answer all of your questions at once…let me think. It's been at least an hour since she's come to…she seemed groggy, kinda confused? She couldn't remember me…and I was the one who reacted badly." Naruto scratched his nose guiltily, "I kinda, um, ran out of the room."

Neji gave him a glare that promised him pain. "You mean to tell us that you left her completely alone in her condition?"

Hanabi pulled at Neji's arm, trying to calm him or reassure him, Naruto wasn't sure. The girl hadn't said a word throughout this entire conversation…Naruto was starting to think he'd missed out on some details about the massacre.

It was Gaara who finally spoke, "Where is the girl now?"

Before Naruto could answer, Ino and Matsuri came running up to the group looking upset.

"H-Hinata-chan…" Matsuri gasped, trying to catch her breath.

Just that one name was enough to freeze everyone to the bone. Something had happened.

"What about Hinata-chan!" Naruto demanded anxiously.

Ino spoke quickly, "Matsuri and I were in one of the Hyuuga corridors, searching for more supplies to help move the deceased, and Hinata ran by us in tears. We called out to her, surprised that she'd awakened, but she didn't even slow down. She seemed really scared and flighty."

Naruto and Neji cursed under their breath. "Which way did she go?" Naruto questioned.

"She was headed in the direction of the main entrance, but she took a wrong turn at one of the hallways, so she could be anywhere in the compound." Ino revealed regretfully. "She seemed very confused, like she didn't know which way to go…"

"She has amnesia, Ino, and by the sounds of it…long-term." Shizune informed the two kunoichi, earning a gasp from each.

"Oh, Naruto, gomenasai!" Matsuri cried, "If we would have known, we would have stopped her!"

Naruto tried to calm himself, "It's not your fault, you didn't know."

Naruto turned to face the only remaining Hyuuga left. "Neji, Hanabi…can you use your Byakugan to find her?"

They both nodded, but Neji stepped forward protectively in front of Hanabi. "Uzumaki, there is something you should know," Neji started, "during the…massacre…" Neji stumbled in his speech, perhaps for the first time, "Kabuto, he used Hiashi-sama's corpse to make a jyuuken strike at Hanabi-neechan's throat."

Naruto's worried eyes shot over to the still silent girl, and he watched as her once challenging eyes turned downcast and ashamed.

"Hanabi-neechan is permanently mute." Neji informed him, glancing at Hanabi to make sure she was holding up okay.

Naruto moved toward the girl, side-stepping Neji, who allowed him to pass. He wrapped his arms around her, whispering in her ear, "Gomenasai, Hanabi-chan. I wish you didn't have to go through this, but I promise to help you in any way that I can, dattebayo."

If Hanabi had any more tears to shed, she most certainly would have started. She pulled out of his embrace, and slowly mouthed the words _Arigato, Naruto-kun_.

Naruto gave her a warm, sympathetic smile. "Let's find your neechan, alright?"

Hanabi smiled back, activating her Byakugan. Neji followed suit, immediately scanning the estate for his remaining kin. Once they located her, both froze instantaneously. What they saw disturbed them greatly.

Hanabi stared worriedly into Neji's eyes, relaying her fears for her older sister. Neji nodded and began telling the others what they'd seen.

"Hinata-sama has found her way out of the compound," Neji locked eyes with Naruto. "She has stumbled onto the scene of the massacre. She is hyperventilating on her knees, holding her hand to her mouth, and gawking at the blood and the remaining corpses. Not the image we wanted her to witness for her first memory."

Naruto sprinted in the direction that Neji indicated, rushing to Hinata's side as quick as he was able. He heard the others following, but his only thought was of protecting Hinata, shielding her from the horrors she was facing.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Extra long chapter for the extra long wait! Hope it was good and worth the wait! I was going to end the chapter after the Kurenai/Asuma scene, and have Naruto's run in with the gang in the next chapter, but it didn't seem fair to all of you who were waiting. So, I decided to end the chapter before you get to find out how Hinata's coping with the massacre! "Ain't I a stinker?" (quoted from Bugs Bunny, for all of you who don't remember Looney Tunes – shame on you if you don't!)**

**Remember, there were a lot of clan members, and the process of laying them down to rest is time consuming, and not everything has been cleaned up. So you can imagine the scene Hinata stumbled into to get you by until I post the next chapter!**

**Thanks everyone who read and reviewed! It's very kind of you to take the time to tell me I'm doing a good job. Boosts the ego, and all that! Please continue to review! The ego is hungry!**

**lub,**

**lil-lilac86**


End file.
